"Right to Breathe" is an effort to educate Nevadans about smokefree air in Nevada and its potential impact on health, local businesses, and the state economy.
The National Center for Healthy Housing is tracking the health impact of the green renovation of an affordable 60-unit apartment complex in Worthington, Minnesota. Residents are primarily low-income minority families employed in the food processing industry. Results of this project can inform local zoning decisions and building codes.
For two years, West Oakland residents and community partners worked to research and identify seventeen indicators to monitor environmental, health, and social conditions for their neighborhood. Residents then used the data in the indicators report to issue a formal request that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) develop stronger regulations requiring the Red Star Yeast factory (the area's second leading source of toxic emissions) to reduce both pollution and noxious odors. The evidence in the report was also used to build media advocacy, testify at public hearings, and to garner letters demanding regulation and enforcement from the Department of Public Health and local elected officials. The combination of evidence and pressure led BAAQMD to remove the exemptions that had grandfathered Red Star Yeast into antiquated emissions standards.
Believed to be the first ordinance of its kind, Chicago's legislation to limit restrictive land-use covenants prevents supermarkets and drugstores from restricting future use of vacated property in the event of store closures. This ordinance holds great promise to prevent neighborhood blight and promote residents' continued access to fresh, healthy food retailers.
In 1990, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) began to redevelop Diggs Town, a large low-income public housing project in Norfolk, Virginia. The Diggs Town Public Housing Redevelopment Project improved public safety, fostered a sense of pride in common spaces, and integrated social services into the community.
An award-winning architectural makeover of a Chicago Housing project improved the ambiance of the development and has created a safe atmosphere, in which tenants feel at ease in the common spaces and are more comfortable walking around.
Concerned about high pedestrian injury rates, residents of Cutler and Orosi in Tulare County, California identified and implemented solutions through a series of community wide forums, focus groups, and workshops.
Recognizing that "undoing racism," and embracing cultural diversity are keys to eliminating persistent health disparities in the city of Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission led a multi-faceted initiative that began with an institutional assessment in which the Commission asked the question, "how is racism at play here?"
In the rural town of Woodburn, Oregon with a more than 50% Latino population, the farmworkers union has developed a strong organizing and advocacy history on labor and housing issues. Now, through its 5,700+ members, the farmworkers, spouses, and children are also addressing healthy food access and physical activity to help local residents eat better and move more.
Like many rural communities, Teton Valley faces increasing pressure to develop agricultural, farm, and natural lands to accommodate a growing population. In response, residents and advocates are advancing policy solutions to help preserve their natural resources while creating an environment that supports physical activity. Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (TVTAP) represents 500 active, dues-paying residents working to shape the valley so that it will continue to support physical activity opportunities.
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